"In doing this we get a natural trickle of applicants trickling through, but we really need more than this," he said. "There is a shortage which puts more work on existing magistrates. We need around 100 as a matter of urgency and would ideally receive up to 200 new applicants, because some may not be suitable.

"We also need people from a broad spectrum of society. Consequently, we want a range of people from different parts of the borough, different vocations, political persuasions and a mix of male and female applicants, for a wider representative picture."

It is the first report into the Merseyside Magistrates' Court Committee.